Best Budget-Friendly: Roundhill Furniture Botticelli

When we searched for accent chairs, value was a key consideration. After all, it’s easy to spend hundreds on an accent chair. The trick is to get a comfortable, good quality chair at a price that is much easier on the wallet.

For the best budget-friendly accent chair, we think Roundhill Furniture’s Botticelli chair has the best bang for the buck. Here’s why:

What We Liked

• Easy to assemble. We put this chair together in 15 minutes.

• Super comfortable. We thought the amount of cushioning was good.

• Nice neutral look with exposed wood legs.

• Affordable.

• Great for desks, although it doesn’t have arms.

• Wide width (23.25″) is also a plus.

What Needs Work

• Too short for taller folks? We thought the seat height (18.75″) worked well, but we realize some taller folks may think this chair is too short.

Best Tufted Retro Look: Baxton Studio Sorrento Mid-Century Retro Modern Fabric Upholstered Wooden Lounge Chair

For those fans of mid-century modern, we thought this tufted chair from Baxton Studio (the Sorrento) was an excellent choice—the dark walnut stain gives it a rich look, at a price that doesn’t break the bank. Note the splayed legs—that’s a design you typically see on more pricey chairs.

What We Liked

• Sturdy.

• Removable cushions.

• Tufted cushions with piping at this price? Quite a nice value. This chair looks expensive.

What Needs Work

• The arms could be higher. 

• Assembly more difficult than the Roundhill Furniture chair we recommend above.

• Tufted back = not as comfortable as other chairs. That’s the trade-off for that retro tufted look—the back isn’t as comfortable as a chair with a non-tufted back.

Best Rounded Back Chair: Armen Living Summer Chair in Charcoal fabric and Walnut Wood

We know there are fans of rounded-back chairs out there—many folks find them more comfortable than straight backs, and we have to agree. If you want to go this route, we’d recommend Armen Living Summer Chair.

What We Liked

• Cushioned backrest is nice.

• Tapered legs.

• Walnut veneer gives it an expensive look.

• Easy to assemble.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• May need to re-tighten the hardware from time to time.

• Too tall for shorter folks? Yes, this chair has a seat height of 24″. Measure a chair you like first to see if that height is too tall for your tastes. FYI: Other seats in this article have seat heights that range from 18.75″ to 22.75″.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!